Name: Loaded Tater Tots Recipe
Ingredients: Tater Tots: The star of the show! Use about 30 ounces of frozen tater tots. Choose your favorite brand, regular or seasoned, both work wonderfully.; Shredded Cheese: A generous amount, about 2 cups, of shredded cheese is essential. Cheddar is classic, but Monterey Jack, Colby Jack, or a blend of cheeses will also melt beautifully and add depth of flavor.; Cooked Bacon: Crispy bacon is a must for that salty, smoky crunch. You’ll need about 8 slices, cooked and crumbled. Consider using thick-cut bacon for extra flavor and texture.; Sour Cream: Provides a cool and creamy counterpoint to the richness of the cheese and bacon. About 1 cup is perfect for dolloping generously.; Green Onions: Fresh green onions, finely chopped, add a pop of freshness and mild oniony flavor. You’ll need about 2-3 green onions.; Optional Toppings: This is where you can get creative! Consider these additions to customize your loaded tots: Jalapeños: For a spicy kick, add sliced pickled or fresh jalapeños.; Black Beans: Add a Southwestern flair with drained and rinsed black beans.; Corn: Sweet corn kernels, fresh or frozen (thawed), bring a touch of sweetness.; Diced Tomatoes: Fresh diced tomatoes add acidity and freshness.; Avocado or Guacamole: Creamy avocado or guacamole adds richness and healthy fats.; Ranch Dressing: A drizzle of ranch dressing enhances the creamy and savory flavors.; BBQ Sauce: For a smoky-sweet twist, drizzle with your favorite BBQ sauce.; Pulled Pork or Chicken: Turn this into a heartier meal by adding shredded cooked pulled pork or chicken.

Ingredients

This recipe is all about layering flavors and textures onto a crispy tater tot base. Here’s what you’ll need to create your own loaded masterpiece:

Tater Tots: The star of the show! Use about 30 ounces of frozen tater tots. Choose your favorite brand, regular or seasoned, both work wonderfully.
Shredded Cheese: A generous amount, about 2 cups, of shredded cheese is essential. Cheddar is classic, but Monterey Jack, Colby Jack, or a blend of cheeses will also melt beautifully and add depth of flavor.
Cooked Bacon: Crispy bacon is a must for that salty, smoky crunch. You’ll need about 8 slices, cooked and crumbled. Consider using thick-cut bacon for extra flavor and texture.
Sour Cream: Provides a cool and creamy counterpoint to the richness of the cheese and bacon. About 1 cup is perfect for dolloping generously.
Green Onions: Fresh green onions, finely chopped, add a pop of freshness and mild oniony flavor. You’ll need about 2-3 green onions.
Optional Toppings: This is where you can get creative! Consider these additions to customize your loaded tots:
- Jalapeños: For a spicy kick, add sliced pickled or fresh jalapeños.
- Black Beans: Add a Southwestern flair with drained and rinsed black beans.
- Corn: Sweet corn kernels, fresh or frozen (thawed), bring a touch of sweetness.
- Diced Tomatoes: Fresh diced tomatoes add acidity and freshness.
- Avocado or Guacamole: Creamy avocado or guacamole adds richness and healthy fats.
- Ranch Dressing: A drizzle of ranch dressing enhances the creamy and savory flavors.
- BBQ Sauce: For a smoky-sweet twist, drizzle with your favorite BBQ sauce.
- Pulled Pork or Chicken: Turn this into a heartier meal by adding shredded cooked pulled pork or chicken.

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Instructions

Creating these Loaded Tater Tots is incredibly simple and quick. Follow these easy steps to achieve crispy, cheesy, and utterly delicious results:

Preheat Your Oven: Start by preheating your oven to 400°F (200°C). This high temperature is key to getting those tater tots perfectly crispy. Make sure your oven is fully preheated before you put the tots in for optimal cooking.
Prepare the Tater Tots: Spread the frozen tater tots in a single layer on a large baking sheet. For even crispier tots, you can lightly grease the baking sheet with cooking spray, although this isn’t strictly necessary. Ensure they are not overcrowded to allow for even cooking and browning.
Bake the Tater Tots: Place the baking sheet in the preheated oven and bake for 20-25 minutes, or according to the package directions. The cooking time might vary slightly depending on your oven and the brand of tater tots. Keep an eye on them and bake until they are golden brown and crispy. For extra crispiness, you can flip the tater tots halfway through the baking time.
Add the Cheese: Once the tater tots are cooked and crispy, remove the baking sheet from the oven. Immediately sprinkle the shredded cheese evenly over the hot tater tots. Make sure to distribute the cheese so that it melts uniformly over all the tots.
Melt the Cheese: Return the baking sheet to the oven and bake for another 2-3 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and gooey. Watch carefully during this step to prevent the cheese from burning. You want it melted and bubbly, but not browned too much.
Add the Toppings: Remove the baking sheet from the oven once the cheese is melted. Now comes the fun part – loading up your tots! Sprinkle the crumbled cooked bacon evenly over the melted cheese. Then, dollop spoonfuls of sour cream over the bacon and cheese. Finally, sprinkle the chopped green onions over everything for a fresh finish.
Customize and Serve: This is where you can get creative with your optional toppings. If you’re using jalapeños, black beans, corn, diced tomatoes, avocado, ranch dressing, BBQ sauce, or pulled pork/chicken, add them now according to your preferences. Serve the Loaded Tater Tots immediately while they are hot and the cheese is melted and gooey. They are best enjoyed fresh from the oven!

Nutrition

Serving Size: one normal portion
Calories: 550
Fat: 35g
Saturated Fat: 20g